Changes for Life
by Angel30
Summary: Sydney discovers something, and it will never be the same. (S/G)


This story is based on the characters of the TV series WALKER, TEXAS RANGER. They belong to CBS Productions, Kick Top Productions, etc. I have no claim to them. But the story is mine. All Disclaimers Apply. No copyright infringement is intended.  
  
Changes for Life: The Diagnose  
  
By: Angel  
  
  
  
** Five days after the day Walker and Alex brought their daughter home from the hospital. **  
  
Walker and Trivette walked into the Ranger HQ. Gage walked up to them, "We just gotta call that Eddie Wright and Andrew Baxter are in town. Our sources said they were headed to a warehouse on Fifth and Drake Street."  
  
"What are they doing here? I thought they fled to Mexico when their drug ring broke in Houston six months ago."  
  
"Word on the street is they have something new here in Dallas, but nobody will say what it is. They're all too scared."  
  
"OK, let's go." Walker replied, and Walker, Trivette, Gage, and Sydney left the HQ, went to their cars, and drove toward the warehouse. When they got there, the warehouse didn't even look like anybody had been in it in years. They removed their guns from their holsters and knocked on a large steel door on the side of the warehouse.  
  
"Texas Rangers! Open up!" Walker kicked the door and the rusty old lock snapped and the door swung open. Muffled voices could be heard from inside. "Cops! Everybody get out!"  
  
The four rangers ran in and each went toward a person. Walker went toward Eddie and had him restrained in a matter of minutes. Then he went for another guy and he was down too. Trivette went after Baxter and two other guys who had escaped out a back exit. Gage went for two guys near a computer and soon enough had both of them out cold on the floor. Sydney was beating some other guy up when she suddenly grabbed her chest and quivered with pain. The guy was just about to knock her over the head when Gage saw what was happening and ran over to help her. He knocked the guy over the head with a two by four. When the guy was down, he ran to Sydney's side.  
  
"Syd! Are you OK? What's wrong?" Gage asked with worry  
  
"Gage, It hurts, it hurts so bad," Sydney said between gasped breathes.  
  
Gage held her for a few minutes until she was up and breathing normally again.  
  
"Syd, I really think you should go to the hospital and get checked out."  
  
"Gage, I'm fine really."  
  
"At least promise me that you'll go see your doctor just to make sure your OK."  
  
"Gage, I."  
  
"Ah, ah . promise."  
  
"Fine, if it will make you get off my back."  
  
"Thank you," Gage said with content.  
  
Trivette ran into the warehouse from the back exit. "I lost Baxter and the other two. They got away."  
  
"That's not good. Well let's see what they've been doing here," Walker said. They looked around and didn't find much, except a few samples of weaponry that was unfamiliar to all of them.  
  
"Hey guys you better get over here," Trivette advised. He had been looking on the computers.  
  
"What do you got?"  
  
"I'm not sure, Walker. It looks like some kind of online auction. See these guys are placing bids," He said, pointing at the screen, "But for what?"  
  
"I'm not really sure. But I think it has something to do with foreign weaponry. I guess we'd better get back to HQ and talk to these guys. See if we can get anything out of them."  
  
They left the warehouse and went back to HQ. They took the five men they arrested and put them in separate interrogation rooms. Eddie wouldn't say a word. The only thing they could get out of any of them was an address for an abandoned shack 25 miles outside of Dallas. Walker and Trivette started walking out to the truck when Gage and Sydney started to follow.  
  
"No way, you guys aren't coming," Walker commented.  
  
"Why not?" Gage asked.  
  
"Gage, Sydney has to go see a doctor .now. She's a danger to herself and others if she's not sure what's wrong with her."  
  
"Walker, I feel fine," Sydney implied.  
  
"Sydney, you may feel that way now but what happened before can happen again. Don't come back to work until you see a doctor. And that's an order."  
  
Sydney pouted as she walked away from the guys and back to her desk.  
  
Walker and Trivette walked out of Ranger HQ and into the truck.  
  
****************************************************  
  
Andrew Baxter was sitting in a chair going through some of his 'merchandise' when his cell phone rang.  
  
"What?" He answered the phone ignorantly.  
  
"They are coming for you, Baxter." Said an unknown assailant on the other end.  
  
"Who?" Baxter asked apprehensively.  
  
"Your Ranger friends from this morning. You better get out of there, or I'll be the on to catch you, not them." The end went dead.  
  
"Jesus Christ!" Baxter replied. He grabbed as much as he could, and ran out the door. He jumped into his pickup and sped off in the opposite direction of the Rangers.  
  
****************************************************  
  
Walker and Trivette were at the shack ten minutes later. They walked in with their guns in their hands.  
  
"Texas Rangers!" They didn't hear any response so Walker kicked the door down. They didn't see any movement so they continued to search the shack. They didn't find any people, but they did find some more guns and others weapons like the ones they found in the warehouse.  
  
"I guess they got some kind of anonymous tip that we were coming after them."  
  
"I guess that means that this operation is a lot bigger than we anticipated. We better get back to HQ and try to figure this out." Walker implied.  
  
They left the shack and headed back toward Ranger HQ with their new evidence.  
  
****************************************************  
  
Sydney hesitantly left HQ to go see her doctor. When she got there the doctor was reluctant to take her that day because she was so busy, but she was able to find an opening. She ran some tests and told Sydney to come back in a few hours for the results. Sydney went home, ate lunch, and took a shower. She returned to the doctors' in the early evening. The doctor called her into her office and asked her to sit down.  
  
"Ms. Cooke, have you been having any pain in your chest recently?"  
  
"A couple of times in the past few days. Why, Dr. Shelby, what's wrong with me?"  
  
"I'm sorry to report that we found a problem with your cardiac echo."  
  
"What exactly did you find?"  
  
Dr. Shelby told her the bad news and Sydney was utterly shocked and devastated. She didn't understand how something like this could happen to her. They talked for awhile about what was going to be to done.  
  
"I scheduled your next appointment for a week from Thursday at 11:15."  
  
"Thank you, Dr." Sydney got up and left. She didn't know what to do.  
  
************************************************  
  
Several hours later, Sydney walked down the hall to the door of Gage's apartment. She knocked on it several times but got no answer. All she could hear was the shower running. She looked at her watch. It read 10:53 p.m.  
  
"This is ridiculous. What am I doing here?" she asked herself and began to walk away but stopped and turned back around.  
  
She didn't want to go back home, but she also didn't want to stay out in the hall until Gage was done. She tried the doorknob, it was unlocked. She opened the door and walked in.  
  
She had been walking around ever since she had left from her doctor's appointment. She was totally stunned to hear what the doctor told her. She just needed someone to talk to, to comfort her. She was walking around the apartment, looked at the familiar scenery of which she had seen so many times before. She remembered all the times she had cooked dinner for Gage when he was temporarily deaf. All the times they had been together in that apartment. She walked into Gage's bedroom and sat on the bed. All the emotions she had bottled up inside her finally came out and she began to weep. She couldn't hear the sound of the shower turning off. A few minutes later, Gage walked into his room with only gray sweatpants on. He was drying his hair with a towel so he did not see Sydney sitting on his bed.  
  
He lifted his head and saw her sitting there. "W-Oh! Syd, what are you doing here? How did you get in?"  
  
Sydney, not realizing that he had walked into the room, wiped away the tears that were on her face. "The door was unlocked, and I didn't have anywhere else to go . . ."  
  
Gage saw how lost she seemed. "What's wrong, Syd? What happened?" He sat down beside her and she laid her head on his strong, masculine shoulder.  
  
Talking between sobs Sydney was finally able to get some words out. " Gage I went to the doctor's today and.. and."  
  
"And what, Syd? You can tell me."  
  
"Gage, I have a tumor!"  
  
Gage was completely startled by what she had just told him, like if a bullet was going right through his heart.  
  
Sydney looked up at him and saw the stunned look on his face. She again laid her head on his shoulder and began to sob uncontrollably. Gage held her closely and rocked her.  
  
Gage regained control of his emotions. "Shhh!! Its OK, Syd. Everything will be OK." He replied quietly.  
  
They sat there in each other's arms for what seemed like eternity. Until finally Sydney looked up, their faces only inches apart. She looked into his deep blue eyes and saw a questionable yet sympathetic look on his face.  
  
"What are you thinking about right now?" she asked him sincerely.  
  
"Honestly?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I'm thinking about how much I want to kiss you."  
  
Their faces grew closer, their lips met, and they kissed. It was gentle at first, then it grew deeper and more passionate. They both gave into the passion. Gage was gently moving his hand up Sydney's unbuttoned blouse and undoing her bra clasp.  
  
"Gage, I'm not sure." Gage kissed her again before she could say another word. Before either of them knew it, they were wrapped in each other's arms, making love.  
  
*****************************************  
  
The next morning Sydney woke up with Gage's arms wrapped around her body. She remembered the night before and smiled. It had  
  
been the best night of her life, but she wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do. This was something she had wanted for so long, but  
  
she wasn't sure if it started out at the right time. Even so, she felt the warmth and security of Gage's body. She cherished it, and  
  
stayed in the moment.  
  
  
  
Gage had woken up a bit earlier and had remembered the night before. He enjoyed it more then anything. He wrapped his arms  
  
around Sydney. He could feel Sydney shift and sigh and realized that she was awake.  
  
  
  
He leaned over and whispered in her ear, "I love you, Sydney Cooke."  
  
  
  
Sydney smiled and rolled over so Gage was on top of her. "You don't know how long I've waited for you to say that," she began to  
  
sob back tears of joy, "I love you so much."  
  
  
  
He gentled tucked a stray piece of hair away from her face. "You are so beautiful."  
  
  
  
She smiled with a spark of happiness in her eyes. He leaned down and gently kissed her lips. Then he wrapped his arms back around  
  
her and returned to the position they were in before. Realizing they had several more hours before they had to be at work, they just  
  
lied in each other's company as if they were the only two people in the world and nothing else mattered.  
  
  
  
*******************************************  
  
When Sydney and Gage got to Rangers HQ, only Trivette was sitting at his desk. They acted as if everything was the way it had always been. They had decided they wouldn't tell anyone about "them." They didn't want to risk destroying their professional relationship. They hadn't talked much about Sydney's condition though. Every time Gage would bring it up, Sydney would change the subject. They walked over to their own desks and started filing reports.  
  
Walker and Alex walked into the room, laughing. Trivette, Gage, and Sydney looked up from their work.  
  
"Guess what? Eddie and his men are being charged with attempted assault to a police officer and having illegal weapons, plus all the charges that thet had before they went to Mexico. And Eddie is being held without bail for flight risks," Alex said excitedly.  
  
That's great," Sydney replied with a half smile, not really caring about it. Gage and Trivette nodded in agreement.  
  
"Well, I'm going to check on Angela in daycare and then I gotta get back to work. So I guess I'll see you later, Walker," Alex said and gave him a peck before she went to her office. Walker walked over to his desk and began to work on his computer.  
  
The four rangers worked well into the morning until it reached lunchtime. Walker went to see Alex and Trivette went to get something to eat. Gage walked up to Sydney's desk. "Hey Syd, do you wanna go get some lunch or something?"  
  
Sydney was trying to stay distracted and not think about her current position. "Umm... I don't think so."  
  
"Sydney, we have to talk about this! I know it's painful, but..."  
  
"Painful ... PAINFUL!! I really don't think you have any idea how painful it really is!" Sydney angrily interrupted. Luckily the room was almost empty.  
  
"Syd, keep your voice down... I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking. Why don't we go get some food and talk...Please?  
  
After awhile, Sydney hesitantly agreed and they walked out of the building. They went to a deli, each got something to eat, and then walked over to a small park nearby. They sat on a bench under a shady tree and didn't say a word to each other for almost fifteen minutes. After they finished eating, Gage was finally able to get a few words out.  
  
"So. what kind of tumor is it exactly?" Is all he could get out.  
  
"Its surrounding my heart, the left ventricle I think is what my doctor said, but my doctor said it isn't too severe," she couldn't look at Gage while she talked.  
  
"So what exactly are you going to do? Are you gonna have surgery or something?"  
  
"Actually my doctor and I have already set up the surgery for me.."  
  
Gage eagerly interrupted, "That's great!"  
  
"Not exactly."  
  
"What do you mean?" Gage became extremely worried.  
  
"I don't know how to say this."  
  
"What?" Gage asked impatiently. "Just tell me."  
  
"Gage, I'm. I'm." Sydney couldn't help but cry.  
  
"Syd, you can tell me anything," Gage tried to cup Sydney's face in his hands, but she couldn't bear to look at him.  
  
After she had control over her emotions she was able to tell him the bad news, "Gage, I'm not having the surgery in Dallas. Its in Seattle."  
  
Gage was utterly heartbroken, "Why do you have to go all the way Seattle?"  
  
"My doctor says there's a really experienced cardiac doctor there and it would be for the best."  
  
Gage was so disturbed. Just when they had finally admitted their feelings for each other, something like this would destroy everything. "When do you have to leave?"  
  
"I leave in two weeks. I am going to be there for about two months. . . they want to keep me there for observation to make sure the tumor doesn't grow back."  
  
My God this can't be happening, thought Gage. He had his head in his hands.  
  
Sydney looked at Gage. "Gage, say something!"  
  
Gage looked up at Sydney and she could see the despair in his eyes. Sydney fell in his arms and he held her. They sat on that bench for a half hour in each other's arms. Then Gage finally got up the courage to say something, "I know you're going to be fine. We'll get through this."  
  
Sydney looked at him, "Thanks," she said with a half smile.  
  
They got up and walked back to Ranger HQ.  
  
*********************************************  
  
Sydney walked up to Walker's desk. "Walker, can I talk to you for a second. in private?"  
  
"Sure." He got up and they both went into an empty interrogation room.  
  
"I'm going to need a leave of absence."  
  
"Why?" Walker asked her, concerned.  
  
"I went to my doctor's yesterday and they ran some tests, and my doctor told me that I have a tumor surrounding my heart," Sydney said with a moment's hesitation, "But its small." Walker's face became very worried. "And well, my doctor has set up for the surgery to be in Seattle. I leave in two weeks."  
  
"Sydney, I'm so sorry. How long do you think you'll be gone?"  
  
"My doctor said that it should only be about eight weeks but he said it could take longer than that. I'm not really that sure."  
  
"Well, you take as much time as you need. You know your position will be here until you are well enough to come back to work. I know everything will be OK."  
  
"I hope so. Thank you so much, Walker."  
  
Walker gave her a quick hug, and Sydney walked out of the room.  
  
****************************************************  
  
The next two weeks went by in a flash. Sydney had finally gotten up the courage to tell Alex, Trivette, and Erica about the surgery. They were just as stunned as Gage, and they gave her their condolences and their prayers. Gage and Sydney spent as much time together as they possibly could. When her last night in Dallas came about, both of them were so heartbroken.  
  
The gang had given Sydney a surprise going away party at CD's. She had a great time. She got to spend a lot of time with her friends before she left.  
  
"Sydney, I know that everything will be alright. You'll be back kickin' some butt before you know it."  
  
"Thanks, Trivette." Sydney said with a half smile.  
  
"Yeah, you'll be fine. We're really gonna miss you though." Erica chimed in.  
  
"And don't you dare forget to write," replied Alex.  
  
"I won't .well it's getting pretty late. I gotta get home. Have to wake up early tomorrow."  
  
"Bye, Sydney!" Everyone said at once.  
  
During this whole conversation Gage didn't say a word. He didn't know what to say. He had brought Sydney to the party so he left when she did. Sydney and Gage got up and left after a round of hugs and blessings.  
  
After they were out the door, Trivette said to Walker, "Hey Walker, did you notice anything strange about Gage? He hardly said one word to anyone tonight."  
  
"He's gotta be taking this pretty hard. He and Sydney are pretty close."  
  
Trivette agreed and they started to clean up the bar.  
  
**************************************************  
  
Sydney and Gage barely said two words to each other when they were in the car. Gage had so much to tell her but he didn't know where to start. He took a U-turn and headed for a park they had been to a lot in the last two weeks, but right now it was completely empty. The park had a large pond with a dock. Gage drove the car up near the dock, and put it in park.  
  
"What are we doing here, Gage?"  
  
"I need to talk to you." They got out of the car and sat on a bench near the water.  
  
"What about?" Sydney asked.  
  
"I don't really know. stuff?"  
  
"OK. shoot."  
  
"I was wondering.. Maybe I could take a leave of absence too, and ya know go with you. What do you think?" Gage asked hopefully.  
  
Sydney was utterly touched, but she knew it couldn't happen, "Gage, I really wish you could come, but if you came with me it would make it kind of obvious that we're involved. Plus you can't take off two months of work when you don't have to.  
  
Gage knew in his heart that she was right. He nodded in agreement. But now he was getting really frustrated. He didn't know what to do. He started to worry about everything that could go wrong with the surgery. That the love of his life might not even make it out alive.  
  
"I can't believe all this is happening, it feels like a bad dream. All I want to do is wake up. Besides, I just don't know how I'll be able to be apart from you for two whole months. I love you so much and I don't know what I would do if you ." Gage went silent.  
  
Sydney began to cry, "Gage, don't think like that. I'll be fine. I'll call and write you as much as I can. I don't want to be apart from you either. I never want to leave you. I love you," Sydney replied.  
  
They just sat there in silence, trying to make everything just go away.  
  
Gage had not turned the car off, and they had been listening to a country music station. The song "There You'll Be" by Faith Hill came on. Gage stood up, and gently slipped his hand into Sydney's. And gestured her to stand up and dance with him.  
  
Sydney stood up and sank into his arms. She laid her head on his shoulder and held him close. He held her tight as if he would never let go. They just swayed to the music, as did the reflection of them on the water. At that very moment, they were the only people in the world that mattered.  
  
When I think back on these times * And the dreams we left behind  
  
I'll be glad 'coz I was blessed to get to have you in my life.  
  
When I look back on these days * I'll look and see your face  
  
You were right there for me  
  
CHORUS: In my dreams I'll always see you soar above the sky  
  
In my heart there always be a place for you for all my life  
  
I'll keep a part of you with me * And everywhere I am there you'll be  
  
Everywhere I am there you'll be  
  
Well you showed me how it feels * To feel the sky within my reach  
  
And I always will remember all the strength you gave to me  
  
Your love made me make it through * I owe so much to you  
  
You were right there for me  
  
CHORUS  
  
'Coz I always saw in you my light my, strength  
  
And I want to thank you now for all the ways  
  
You were right there for me * You were right there for me ALWAYS!!  
  
CHORUS  
  
"There You'll Be" by Faith Hill  
  
******************************************  
  
Andrew Baxter gave his ticket to the stewardess, and stepped onto the plane.  
  
"Flight 17 to Seattle will be departing in five minutes," Said the pilot.  
  
Baxter snickered. Thank God I got out of there; they'll never find me in Washington.  
  
Just then the plane moved onto the runway and took off. Good bye, Dallas. Baxter thought as he smiled slyly out the window.  
  
******************************************  
  
Early the next morning, Gage slowly awoke in Sydney's apartment. He turned over to find the bed empty where Sydney had been sleeping a few hours earlier. He looked at the alarm clock; it read 5:24 a.m. He quickly shot up, and realized they had to leave for the airport in five minutes. He quickly put on his pants and shirt and walked into the kitchen.  
  
"Hey, sleepyhead," Sydney said from her seat at the table, drinking coffee and reading the paper.  
  
"Why didn't you wake me up earlier?"  
  
"You looked so cute just lying there. I didn't want to disturb you."  
  
"Well, thank you,' Gage said as he gave her a peck on the cheek. "We'd better get going though or your going to miss your flight."  
  
They both got their jackets, grabbed Sydney's many pieces of luggage and went out the door.  
  
*****************************************  
  
Twenty minutes later Sydney and Gage arrived at the airport. They dropped off her luggage and walked toward her gate. They stopped at a little café to get a quick cup of coffee and say their good byes. Just as they were finishing, Gage pulled her into a deep, passionate kiss. Both knowing that would be there last kiss for awhile, they held onto it for as long as they could. When it ended, they started walking toward her gate again. When they got there, they were met by Trivette, Erica, Walker, Alex, and a very sleepy Angela.  
  
Erica walked up to Sydney and gave her a big hug. She was partly startled because she hadn't expected in.  
  
"I'm gonna miss you, Sydney. Your gonna be in my prayers," Sydney was truly touched because she had really only known her for about a month.  
  
Walker, Alex, and Trivette took their turns of saying good bye. Sydney bent her head down toward Alex where Angela was. Angela grabbed Sydney's pinky.  
  
"Don't grow too big while I'm gone," Sydney said quietly and gave the baby a quick kiss on the forehead.  
  
She turned to Gage. All she wanted to do was fall into his arms and never leave, but she knew she couldn't. She couldn't even give him a kiss, not in front of the others. She put her arms around his neck and gave him a hug, putting all her love into it. Gage returned the hug just the same.  
  
"I'm gonna miss you, Syd," He whispered in her ear, almost coming to tears but held them back.  
  
"I'm gonna miss you too," she whispered back. She was crying.  
  
"Flight 32 to Seattle is now boarding," the stewardess reported over the speakers.  
  
Sydney released herself from Gage's arms. She picked up her carry on and walked toward the door. She handed her ticket to the stewardess. She gave a final wave and smile to everybody. She was crying hard as she turned the corner and walked toward the plane entrance.  
  
Gage just stood there, everything still not quite sinking in. She's gone.and I might not ever see her again. 


End file.
